Smart companies look for “Line Extention” to help them grow. I learned a little about “Line Extension” in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s when I served on a Board of Wells Fargo. At that time, CEO Richard Kovacevich realized that Wells Fargo had satisfied customers in the banking business. He realized that…
If you have been involved in leadership for any length of time you will find that any decision that you make, even if you think it is the greatest decision in the world, will not be taken as beneficial to all parties. Someone down the line of employment will wish the decision…
The negotiations to sell and or purchase a funeral home generally involve “what one is buying and how are they paying for it”. It’s pretty common to hear the terms “asset sale”, “real estate”, “convenants not to compete”, “consulting agreement”, “equipment”, “inventory”, and “goodwill” among the nomenclature of the transaction that takes place between…
There’s always been an argument about successful businesses. . . Did they get to be successful because of “Who they know” or “What they know”? I’m guessing that both circumstances will help, but in today’s world there is no doubt that you need the “What you know” side of the equation to make intelligent and…
Over my lifetime some things have just stuck with me. A couple of those things are quotes that share a message of complicated projects or ideas that might seem insurmountable but also give the hope to try. . . because maybe the idea might just work. The first one I remember is…
BUSINESS
“Mattering”: Can your funeral home help “It”. . . Can “It” help your funeral home?
It’s not something I thought about ever. And, while I sensed some of the psychological needs associated with it, I’d never thought of it in the sense I learned about it last week. …
The “Humanity” of Death Care
Funeral Director Daily publishes lots of articles that deal with the business, or money side of Death Care. That’s good. . .and readers seem to like it, however, I never want any of us…
Meeting your clientele where they are at
There is no doubt over the past twenty-five years that consumers have made many changes about how they make selections. And, those selections don’t just relate to furniture styles, automobile styles, or television watching,…
FINANCE
Seeking Alpha authors “Bullish” on SCI
When you follow the public companies in Death Care like I do it is unusual to find articles about them appearing very often. But, last week two separate authors of Seeking Alpha gave opinions…
What’s with Private Equity?
I guess “Private” means “Privacy” and that is probably why it is so difficult to get information on how the Private Equity market is doing. The status of the industry is, however, of much…
Matthews closes European unit sale, announces agreement with Barington Capital
The first half of January 2025 saw two news releases come from Matthews International that probably, in a wide scope, are related to each other. First, in early January, this press release titled “Matthews…
REGULATIONS
Offender to be dis-interred and removed from Fort Sam Houston National Military Cemetery
Texas Senator John Cornyn authored a bill that was passed by the Senate, the House, and signed into law by President Trump in late December 2025, that was included in the 2026 National Defense…
Veterans’ Affairs recently grants $77 million to state-operated veteran cemeteries
According to this recent article in Newsweek “The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded more than $77 million in new grants aimed at expanding and improving state-operated Veterans cemeteries. The funding, announced…
Cemetery legal dispute ends in disinterment
A lengthy legal case of about four years that involved a Service Corporation International (SCI) cemetery and also included a well-known and succesful business family has ended in a disinterment ruling of the keepsakes…
CEMETERY
Offender to be dis-interred and removed from Fort Sam Houston National Military Cemetery
Texas Senator John Cornyn authored a bill that was passed by the Senate, the House, and signed into law by President Trump in late December 2025, that was included in the 2026 National Defense…
The “Humanity” of Death Care
Funeral Director Daily publishes lots of articles that deal with the business, or money side of Death Care. That’s good. . .and readers seem to like it, however, I never want any of us…
Veterans’ Affairs recently grants $77 million to state-operated veteran cemeteries
According to this recent article in Newsweek “The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded more than $77 million in new grants aimed at expanding and improving state-operated Veterans cemeteries. The funding, announced…
CREMATION
Veterans’ Affairs recently grants $77 million to state-operated veteran cemeteries
According to this recent article in Newsweek “The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded more than $77 million in new grants aimed at expanding and improving state-operated Veterans cemeteries. The funding, announced…
Washington crematories stymied by air quality regulations
Washington State cremation owners and operators find themselves in somewhat of a Catch-22 when it comes to new cremation equipment. According to this article from the Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine old cremation machines…
Cremations, and now tariffs creating headwinds for monument dealers
American monument dealers have become accustomed to dealing with the rising cremation rates in the country and the dwindling sales opportunities for cemetery monuments that fact brings. But now, according to this recent…
PRENEED
Is a 10% credit card interest rate ceiling good news for funeral homes? . . . Maybe not
Today is January 20. It is the day that President Trump wanted to institute one of his ideas for making life more “affordable”. That idea is a 10% cap on interest rates on credit…
Can you the provide the opportunity for additional Preneed sales in the 1st Quarter of 2026?
“Strike when the iron is hot“. That’s a 15th-century saying that came from the blacksmith trade and meant to suggest that the blacksmith should “bend the metal when it is hot and somewhat flexible”. …
More Americans take on debt to cover funerals
I came across this recent article from USA Today titled “Americans are going into debt over death. Here are affordability tips.” Reading that article led me to a survey and results from Debt.com and…
PRODUCTS
Is a 10% credit card interest rate ceiling good news for funeral homes? . . . Maybe not
Today is January 20. It is the day that President Trump wanted to institute one of his ideas for making life more “affordable”. That idea is a 10% cap on interest rates on credit…
Can you the provide the opportunity for additional Preneed sales in the 1st Quarter of 2026?
“Strike when the iron is hot“. That’s a 15th-century saying that came from the blacksmith trade and meant to suggest that the blacksmith should “bend the metal when it is hot and somewhat flexible”. …
Creedy, Jefferson form advisory firm
Long-time Death Care executives and advisors Alan Creedy and Danny Jefferson have again joined together to form a new firm to help those in the business. A press release issued earlier this week…
